“My name is Matt and I used to throw clubs.”
You wouldn’t know it if you played a round with me today, but I used to be a maniac on the golf course: throwing clubs, slamming clubs, and cursing a blue streak. Then I stopped, almost overnight. How? It’s largely due to seeing other people behave like I did. I remember thinking to myself, “This guy isn’t that good. Why is he carrying on like that?” Then I turned that question on myself, and stopped throwing tantrums almost immediately.
Earn Your Tantrums
Let me be clear: I stopped throwing tantrums on the golf course, but that doesn’t mean I have any problem with other people screaming, breaking clubs, or tossing their bag in the lake…as long as they’ve earned it. With that in mind, I present to you a simple checklist that lets you know whether or not you’ve earned the right to carry on like a disappointed toddler at Toys R Us.
The Golf Tantrum Checklist
1) Are you sober?
2) Did you warm up before your round?
3) Are you hydrated? Did you eat a good meal before your round? Have you been eating snacks to maintain your blood sugar levels?
4) Did you fully assess the situation before choosing a club and a shot to play? This includes the lie, the weather, the wind, how you’ve been playing, your tendencies, etc.
5) Did you go through your physical and mental pre-shot routine? This includes proper club selection, alignment, grip, set up, posture, ball position, etc.
6) Did you hit the shot with only the target in mind?
7) Have you practiced within the last 3-4 days?
8) Did you practice the shot you just tried to execute, with the club you tried to use, 10 times or more?
9) When practicing that shot, did you succeed 80% of the time or more?
If you answered, “Yes” to EVERY question on this list, then congratulations! Feel free to let everyone within earshot know how angry you are at the unfairness of golf.
If you answered, “No” to ANY of those question, then please, save the drama for your mama.
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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2 Comments
If everyone used this list to heart I think we’d have a lot more happy golfers. Not just the person freaking out, but also the playing partners who wouldn’t have to put up with their crap.
LMAO, a great checklist!!
Seriously, I often wonder why, excluding #’s 1 & 3, because I’m gonna give em a yes there, however most golfers would be lucky, to hit two of the other seven!
Great Article!!
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